Back in Delhi, after a great but short trip around Kerala in the South of India. Its completely different to the North. Much calmer and more relaxed. There is not as much noise, and the people are even friendlier. Anjali said it´s because they´re used to tourists…which makes sense. However, we hardly saw any, except in Periyar, where we were already warned that its an Indian Disneyland. VERY touristy, and frankly, not much to see!!! But it was worth going there just for the bus trip…..totally SURREAL!!!
The buses here seem made out of tin, have no suspension, and plastic-leathery seats which, be it cold, hot, or any temperature, you stick to! The day we went to Periyar was a cold one, and it basically poured down throughout the trip. The windows are big openings which have metallic blinds. So you have the option of closing them and remaining in complete darkness, or opening it and getting completely soaked. First option was the least uncomfortable, but slightly claustrophobic. The good thing was that, with the blinds shut, you could not see the speed you were going at, the cars you were about to run into, and the huge cliffs on either side of the road….SCARYYYYYYYY!
Goa was wonderfully relaxing! Two days of sun at the beach, good food and beers. Next destination: Kochin. We got there after a 16 hour train trip. I was warned various times by my friends of the “unique” moments I was going to experience! And in fact, I’m glad they were so negative about it, because I didn’t find it that bad after all (they later said it was their tactic to make it less unpleasant J). The only bummer was that we only had two 50cm-wide beds to sleep on, and we were 5 people! Henar and Gus slept on top of the rucksacks (Henar and me failed to share a bed….first few minutes it was semi comfortable, and then unbearable!), Elena and me were lucky to have our own bed in the end, and Erika was the brave one to sleep in another compartments floor (even had a cockroach crawling on her mid-trip!!).
Kochin was humid, hot and sticky. We spent the afternoon in Fort Kochin, and saw the massive Chinese fishing nets. You can see them in the photos. These huge spider-like contraptions require at least four men to operate the counterweights. You would expect them to fish a mountain of fish with such a huge net. But they only get 2 or 3 pathetic small ones….if they´re lucky!!!!
That night we experienced our full hard-on pre-monsoon rainfall!!! Unbelievable!! We were all wearing cheapy Indian market clothes, so most of us had our skin died the same colour as our trousers when we got to the hotel!!!
Munnar´s tea plantations were outstanding. They seemed completely non-Indian. Used to the chaos and messy Indian scenery, this was too perfect to be from here!!! They reminded me of the Vietnamese rice fields, decorating every mountain with its immaculate rows of greenery. Got the chance that evening to eat on a banana leaf, something I discovered later on is very common in the south. I ate a sort-of rice tortilla (uttapam) which you eat with your hands and dunk in coconut sauce and pickle. YUMYUM!
A surreal bust trip later we arrived in Periyar, where we entered an animal park. It´s supposed to have tigers, but we found it unlikely as our guide was only carrying a small umbrella! Ive heard tigers are not the friendliest of cats, so a teeny weenie umbrella doesn’t seem an appropriate “weapon” if there are tigers nearby. So we saw no animals AND got covered in leeches. (That’s why I had to put my bright blue socks over my bright orange trousers and finished up looking so attractive!)
And last, but not least, Alleppey. Its supposed to be and Indian Venice, but apart from the narrow river that crosses the city, it had no resemblance to me. We rode on a motor boat and cruised along the backwater canals, called waterways, and used in the past as the highways of Kerala. Along the way are small villages, mosques, churches….The scenery was stunning.
Then came the farewell! A 5 hour wait at Kochin airport, and a 5 hour plane trip later, I got dropped off at home by a friendly man I met on the plane called Rajit. Must have been luck (or destiny as they would say here!!) cos it turns out he´s got a prestigious interior design and construction company in Delhi and around Asia, and he´s interested in me knowing his company!!! They also organise many design seminars and ive been invited to any that may interest me! Its so nice to meet someone new too!
It was a perfect way to end 9 fantastic days. Thank you Henar, Gus, Erika, Carlos and Elena. It was wonderful to travel with you….
